THROUGH THE BIBLE IN THREE YEARS
"I'm sorry you didn't like my Christmas gift," the rich aunt said to her nephew,
"but I asked if you liked large checks or small checks."
He said, "Yes, Ma'am. But I didn't know you were talking about TIES!"
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________SCRIPTURE__________________________________
1 Cor 2:2-5
2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.
4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
KJV
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________THOUGHT____________________________________
Nothing but "Jesus Christ, and Him crucified."
That's all Paul gave the Corinthians upon his first visit.
Perhaps they were used to glowing oratory and profound philosophy.
But Paul gave them the simple Gospel.
It was not because Paul COULD NOT deliver glowing oratory and profound philosophy.
He had done so in Athens (See Acts 17-18) prior to being in Corinth.
And even prior to Athens, Paul was thought by the men of Lystra to be the god Mercury come to earth,
for he was the "chief speaker." (Acts 14:12)
But Paul determined to give them what they NEEDED, not what they WANTED.
Because he did so, some of the men in the church at Corinth spoke contemptuously of him and said,
"..his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible." (2 Cor 10:10)
Even though Paul spoke to them in modesty, the results were tremendous because
"..he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks." (Acts 18:4)
And the reason for these results was because Paul spoke "..in demonstration of the Spirit and of power.."
Nothing can be built until the foundation is first laid!
Paul determined in Corinth to know only Jesus, everything in Jesus, and Jesus in everything.
THAT is the foundation of the Gospel.
He is CHRIST CRUCIFIED.
Able to identify with our temptations because He was a man.
Able to pay for our sins because He is God.
Able to offer forgiveness because He cares.
Able to save us from the slavery to sin because He conquered every temptation.
HE is CHRIST RISEN.
Able to deliver us to eternal heaven because He arose from the grave.
Determine to KNOW Him today!
Love ya!
Bruce